


A crack in the glacier

by Saccharine_Seductress



Series: A conflicted Mind [1]
Category: Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik
Genre: Angst and Humor, Gen, Slow Romance, Spoilers, Staryk POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:26:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24375001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saccharine_Seductress/pseuds/Saccharine_Seductress
Summary: The Staryk Lord is impatiently waiting for Myriem's questions in her room.
Series: A conflicted Mind [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1759954
Comments: 24
Kudos: 61





	1. An Impossible Task

**Author's Note:**

> I kept going back to the Staryk Lord and trying to see how incrementally his view of Myriem changes throughout the series. This felt like the real beginning of that fundamental shift. The book gives plenty of clues to how he if feeling but I really wanted to hear some of his internal dialogue. So I made it feel as natural as I could and used the original narration of his actions to provide the support. I pulled direct quotes so that it would be as true to the source material as possible.  
> I did make his thoughts a bit more natural and made the decision that his words to Myriem were a bit choppy because his Staryk language was very different than hers. (I'm guessing it is Russian, Polish, or Lithuanian). But magical creatures are bound to have their own complex languages that developed separately from humans. To make it easier to read, and connect with I decided to make all conversations internally or with other Staryk more relaxed, if still formal (He is a king after all).

An impossible task pt1

I paced around her chamber. How dare she make me wait. What did she have to do, except wait for my nightly questions? She had no other tasks except for changing a chest of gold each day. And even then it didn’t take her _that _long. Was she traipsing around the mountain again like an imbecile? It was such an embarrassment to hear that she waltzed into the kitchens and then passed through the graveyard and the fissure between worlds. Why couldn’t one of my people be the vessel for high magic? It was so demeaning being married to a halfwit human. I grumbled and forced myself to stand still rather than ambulate like a fidgety child. Either she asked her questions in time or she would get her marital privileges. She better arrive soon. I did not want to touch her skinny little body with all it’s hair and warmth. Disgusting.  
  
The few times I took a mortal woman it had been awkward and a bit disgusting. They were so warm as they shivered in the snow. The only one who was halfway decent was the one who traded the life of her fiance for her maidenhead. The couple had been kissing in the forest when we rode up to hunt the white animals. I made the man fall asleep and forget everything except the pleasant kisses before we had arrived. I took her against the tree and even though she hadn’t lain with anyone before she learned quickly making it go much smoother and faster. Her opening was already slick before I started so I assume the man was doing a good job of seducing her before I interrupted. I didn’t especially like to lay with human women but on occasion it was fun. Staryk women were leopards on the prowl, and far more animated in bed. Mortal girls were so afraid of everything and they rarely did anything but lay on the ground like a dead fish.  
  
Many of the other men like it when they cry but it’s just so troublesome. I can’t enjoy it when I hear sniveling and pleas for clemency. I always take women by fair bargain. Their lives or the lives of the ones they are with in fair exchange. I’m always careful not to leave any bastards though. I wouldn’t want one to break into my lands or try to make a claim on my kingdom. It was rare to leave a half breed anyway. Lest you visit the same woman several times. There was only one case of that happening as far as I know. The aim of our raids was for gold or for game. Not flesh. Though some made sport with lost travelers and peasants too close to my road. I shook my head and came back to the present situation.  
  
When was that girl going to get here? Night was upon us. Was she really fool enough to think she could escape my realm? There was nowhere to go and no one to turn to. No one in this kingdom would ever help the “queen” to escape. I looked out of the window and saw the white blossoms begin to close in earnest. “Where is she?!” I shouted at no one. I saw a sleigh out in the distance hurriedly approach the mountain. Finally. She was returning from her idiotic journey to nowhere in particular. Without me, she would have a lovely sleigh ride into an endless snowy white plane. The “further” she rode out the less there would be. The mountain would be just as close, and there would be no change except for the passage of time.  
  
The sleigh finally arrived in the courtyard and I relaxed slightly. There was no need to contemplate defiling my dignity with that dead fish in my bed. Minutes seemed to pass and she still wasn’t here. How long does it take to find her room? I might as well chain her to the bedpost so she can’t repeat this folly. A long chain would give her free reign of the room and keep her fixed inside. I hated waiting for her to grace me with her disdainful presence. I made her a queen and threw servants at her and still she wanted more from me.  
  
I heard footsteps getting nearer and breathed out loudly. I riled myself into another fit of unnecessary rage thinking of how long I had been waiting for her. Almost an hour in this cramped room! The servant with the chunky braid opened the door and bowed to me as the girl walked in all red faced and sweaty. “ASK” I spat out. She walked to her mirror on the opposite end of the doorway and eyed it, then asked a ridiculous question. “Who lives in the house on the edge of the night?”.  
  
“No one,” I said instantly. “Ask.” What an idiotic question.“That’s not true!” she said, and the servant with the braid, who’d been bowing her way out of the room at me, startled like a horse that had been struck with a whip out of nowhere. My eyes widened with shock, and my fists closed; I took a step towards her, and forced myself not to hit her. “There was porridge in the oven!” she said quickly and cowered. My lips pressed together hard, and then after a moment said, “that I know of,” finishing off my original sentence. There must still be magic in that witch's hut that confused the normal flow of time. But she would need to use up another question for that information. She called me a liar. What a hellion. “Ask.” I bit out in annoyance. She was the most infuriating person I had ever met or had the displeasure of dealing with. I felt my eye try to twitch but I held back and felt my cheeks glimmer instead. I groaned internally. I hated showing my true feelings. How did she always manage to force me to lose my temper in front of her?  
  
She kept shifting her eyes slightly in their sockets as if in deep thought. After a moment she straightened up and put a brave face on and demanded “I’d say that I’m owed an educated guess if you can make one. If you knew who built it, for instance.”. I felt my ears clog with the pounding of my heart. “Owed?” I spat out. It took so much of my self control to form words instead of incoherent noises of rage. The servant had very slowly and carefully been maneuvering herself farther back by inches, and now she eased the rest of the way out of the chamber with a look of complete dread over what I was about to do to this abhorrent creature. “Owed?!” I said again in disbelief. The audacity of this ugly, skinny, girl. I rushed up to her in an instant and put my thumbs to her throat, pushing her neck and forcing her to look me in the eyes as she insulted me. I could feel her heart beating beneath my fingers and it raced almost to bursting.  
  
It took far too much control not to strangle the life out of her right then and there, but I forced myself to calmly and quietly inform her of what could happen. “And if I say all I owe you is two answers more?” I said softly, glowering down at her. Her heart was pounding in her veins but she forced out “You can say what you like,” in an unyielding tone. She wouldn’t submit to me. “One more time I will ask:”I hissed ominously. “Are. you. certain?” I said emphasizing each word. She would rather die than give in. She was insane. Deranged people did not conform to rational ideas. Her lip quivered slightly and her heart slowed but the pulses were stronger. I felt her swallow. “Yes” she said as coldly as I ever could. My heart felt a pain jolt through it and I released her. I gave a snarl of rage and whirled away from the imbecile occupying her mind. I stalked to the edge of the chamber and stood there with my back to her and my fists clenched. I could feel my nails cutting my palms. “You dare,” I said to the wall, not turning to look at her, unsure of what I might do if she shot another glance of insolent pride. “You dare set yourself against me, to make a pretense of being my equal—”. I wanted to punch a hole in the wall.  
  
“ _You _did that, when you put a crown on my head!” she said almost triumphantly “I am not your subject or your servant, and if you want a cowering mouse for a wife, go find someone else who can turn silver to gold for you.” I felt the cold slap of truth hit my face. I let out a hiss of frustration and displeasure, and stood there a moment longer just breathing in furious heaves. Unable to get my bearings, my shoulders rising and falling in violent indignation. I had made her a queen, she had the right to do it. I could feel the magic of our union rest a blade at my neck. And I felt my soul try to leave my body. She had bested me not with wit, nor strength, but by my own hands. I stared at the wall in utter defeat.  
  
“A mighty witch grew tired of mortals asking her for favors and built for herself a house on the border of the sunlit world, that they might not find her at home when she did not desire company.” I said finally, “But she went away long ago and has not returned, for I would _know _if so great a power came back into my realm.”  
  
“What is long ago?” she said, too hastily. Humans always blurted out every thought, never expecting a real response. “Do you think I care for the mayfly moments with which you count the passage of your lives in the sunlit world, save when I must?” I said in exasperation. “Mortal children born then have long since died, and their children’s children are now old, that is all I can say. Ask once more.” I was breathing easier now. But it still took a concerted effort not to clench my fists or raise my voice. I hated forcing answers out as precisely as our bargain now demanded of me. “I promised my cousin that I would dance at her wedding,” she said slowly. “And she will be married in three days’ time.” I whirled around as the words sank into meaning. My eyes gleaming in joy. I could take back my self respect and win. I knew at once I had her firmly under my thumb. “Then it seems you must ask my aid,” I said softly, almost ecstatically. “And hope that I don’t refuse it.” Oh the inane tasks I would set her too, the humiliation she would endure! It was too delicious to imagine.  
  
“Well, you won’t do it to help me,” she said, and I gave a small snort, amused. She wasn’t as stupid as she pretended she was. “And you’ve made clear there’s only one thing I’m good for in your eyes. So how much gold do you want me to make, in exchange for escorting me to Basia’s wedding?” I scowled regretfully. I should have played it closer to the vest and sprung my trap later. I had looked forward to her prostrating herself and begging for my help. But I was practical enough not to let that stop me. “I have three storerooms of silver,” I said, “each larger than the last, and you shall turn every coin therein to gold, ere I take you thence: and you must work swiftly, for if you have not finished the work in time, neither shall I convey you, and you will be forsworn.” I finished in triumph. Let her kill herself making gold for me instead. At least it would be of some benefit to me. She would negotiate for only one store room, I would counter with two, and she would accept and I could be done with her for tonight. It would be difficult to achieve, but two store rooms in three nights was not impossible if she worked quickly and didn’t sleep.  
  
“Fine,” she said nonchalantly. I jerked and stared at her in sudden dismay. “What?” Was she insane? It was impossible. “Fine!” she said again. “You just demanded—” I cut her off and walked to her quickly “And now, for the first time, you make _no _effort to negotiate—” I pulled myself up short, and stared her straight into the eyes, trying to peer into her soul. “We are agreed. And may you complete as much of your task as you can.” I said finally, bitterly. She would kill herself so recklessly just to dance at a wedding? I thought mortals broke their words on a whim. She was a mad woman. “Exactly how big are these storerooms?” she demanded, but I was already going out of the room, without a pause. I couldn’t give her any more answers anyway. She had used them all up. I reached my chambers and sat in my library absently. She would rather die than break her word. She might not be as dishonorable as I thought. For all of me, I couldn’t despise her at that moment. I sat in the dim light for what seemed hours and contemplated what had just happened. One minute I was going to crush her throat in my hands and the next she was respectable, noble even. I felt numb. Nothing made sense anymore. Up was down, cold was hot, and my wife might not be a wight after all.  
****************************  
In the morning I decided to check on her progress. There was a slim chance she had finished the first room, If she kept up the pace she might actually find a way to make me rich enough that I could make a hundred years of snow and snuff out Czernobog’s flame. She might die, but I would still win. When I opened the store room I found her curled up on a pile of treasure like a tiny dragon. My eyes went wide with all that glittering heap around me. I stepped closer to her sleeping figure and walked over mounds of the purest gold. I cupped a handful of the coins and stared at the warm gleam of it with bright avaricious hunger.  
  
She woke with a jerk and looked up to find me standing over her, surveying the glorious hoard. She struggled up to her feet in alarm, stumbling on the mountain of gold. _So unbalanced _. No matter. I reached out a hand to stabilize her before she scattered this beautiful heap. “What time is it?” she blurted out in fear. I ignored her question. She had the mirror for that. And I couldn’t answer questions until tonight. She started rubbing her eyes and I walked further into the room. It was golden and glittering from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. In gorgeous rows and shelves! Every chest was empty and it’s contents strewn across the floor, all transformed to gold in the most beautiful lake around my feet. This could last me until well into the next century. My children might have some gold left from this storeroom when they were crowned.  
  
“Well? If I missed any, say so now.” she challenged. Still trying to fish for more free answers. “No” I said in response as well as dismissal. “You have changed every coin in this first storeroom. Two storerooms yet remain.” I tried to be polite, she had done more work for me in one night than she had ever done before. I inclined my head and walked out of the room utterly astonished. About ten seconds after I left the room I heard the door open and she scurried up towards her room.  
  
Only one night and she had finished one room. I couldn’t imagine how she would finish the next two in three more days and two nights. If I waited until the last moment to see her on the third night, then I would have more gold to use against that demon. If I didn't bother her for more than a moment to give her answers then she would keep working. She either hated living here that much that she was ready to end it all in a dazzling display of obstinance. Or she loved her cousin so much she would risk everything to be there. I couldn’t discount the possibility that she was too proud to break a promise. Could a human ever be so noble and trustworthy? I pushed the thought away. “No. That is simply impossible”. I startled myself as I spoke out loud. Somehow I was already in my library. When did that happen? I went on with my business and did my best to administer the realm. I broke my fast at noon and impatiently waited for the sun to set.  
  
I could feel it coming on and I jumped out of my chair and started walking towards the vault. Using my special corridors I was there in fewer than five minutes, right as the sun was about to sink back into the sky. I opened the doors to the second room eagerly and saw silver lining the walls. How _unfortunate _. There was only a small section carved out in front of me changed to gold by the door. I grabbed a handful of coins and let them slip through my fingers. I pressed my lips together and shook my head. She had no chance at all. I disliked the idea that she would do all this work to safeguard the realm and I would have to forswear her. Her life would be forfeit if she couldn't keep her word and abide by our contract. Such a waste. But she was the one who agreed to such an impossible task. She didn’t even try to negotiate.  
  
“At what hour is the wedding?” I demanded. I would give her as much time as I could out of respect. She continued working hard as she slid her hands across a black cloth and gold appeared. It was the most breathtaking sight. She lost her concentration and answered me in a huff “What I promised was to dance at their wedding, and the musicians will be going until midnight,” she said coldly. “I have until then.” I looked at the table and saw a coin split into two halves as if dipped. One gold, the other silver. Two nights and two days, that was all she had left. “You have not finished here, and there is all the third storeroom yet to change,” I said—bitterly, “Well, you will change what you can, before you fail.” Such a shame to lose her magic. But there was nothing to be done. I could feel her eyes burning a hole into my chest. “Ask your questions.” I said devoid of feeling.  
  
“How can I make this go quicker, if you know of any way?” she asked. I eyed her suspiciously “You can only do it as quickly as you can,” What a ridiculous question. “Why would I know, if you do not?” I did not control her magic, I didn’t understand it, or even want to know why the gods had bestowed a mere mortal girl with such a gift. Thrice proven or not, it was almost inconceivable. And I had the evidence in front of my own eyes. She shook her head angrily as if it was my fault and not hers. “What’s past the edge of your kingdom? Where the light ends.” Was she blind? Or simply an idiot? “Darkness,” I said.  
  
“I could see that much for myself!” she said with asperity. “Then why do you ask?” I said, in equal irritation. What a confusing woman! “Because I want to know what’s in the dark!” she said. I made an impatient gesture not knowing what to say. She wasn’t as stupid as she led on. Why were her questions always so inane? “My kingdom! My people and our deep strength, that makes the mountain strong. Through ages of your mortal lives we have raised high our shining walls, and together we have won this fastness from the dark, that we may ever dwell in winter. Do you think it is so lightly done, that you can wander blindly past the borders of my realm and find your way into another?”  
  
With a sudden realization I looked around the room and the silver heap in downturned sourness. “Perhaps you now regret your mortal-hasty promise, and wonder where you might flee, from an oath broken in my kingdom? Do not imagine you will find some way into the dwarrow realms, or that they would shelter you against retribution.” She might try to escape her fate. But she was firmly trapped. Held by the magic of our contract. And if she fled I would find her. In desert, in summer, in any realm, in any world, in any time. She _would _be caught, and made to pay for her betrayal.__  
  
“Is there any use you can be to me at all in this?” she said. I made an impatient gesture. “None I can see, and if there were, you have naught left to barter for my aid in any case,” I said haughtily. “You have pledged your gift too high in folly, and I have little hope you can redeem it.” I turned and left her. She made the bargain, she accepted the terms, she had to suffer under their conditions. I wouldn’t lift a finger to help her. What _asinine _behaviour! I marched myself to my chambers in as steady a pace as possible. I would not let her run away and I wouldn’t feel sorry for her when she failed. She kept making outrageous claims about herself and now she would pay for it. With gold, or with her blood. She couldn’t keep making herself into this foolish pantomime of a Staryk queen. It was going to come crashing down around her ears.  
  
As I reached my rooms I called for the valet. I had him bring the Lord commander of the kingsguard to my sitting room. After what seemed a lifetime, though it was only a few minutes, ten at the most, he was there at the door. The valet rapped on the doorway and announced him. I ushered them both in with a hand and began abruptly. “Lord commander, my wife---,” I scowled at the word, “My _wife _is in the process of performing high magic. Don’t disturb her or her servants unless they are making a run for it. There is a small possibility she will try to flee the kingdom and return to her home in the sunlit world. She’s discovered the witch’s hut. And though she doesn’t have the magic to open portals, she might run there in hopes of a waystone or some other miraculous path to safety. She is not to escape. Under _any _circumstances”. I coldly let the horrible words out into the air. It made my tongue sting with the disdain I had for this potential outcome. How disgraceful.  
  
The Lord Commander paused and nodded once. “Shall I place guards on her doors? I can search her rooms for evidence of flight.” I looked up with a frown. “No. I won’t frighten her or make it known throughout the mountain that she is under suspicion if she _is _innocent.”  
  
“Understood, your majesty” he said with a twitch in one eye. “Would it be acceptable to place the witch’s hut under surveillance or under guard?” I shook my head. “No, I don’t want to bring attention to it. Just have your guards patrol the grounds more frequently, always in pairs. If she were to flee I would prefer she didn’t get far.” There was a deathly silence in the room and no one moved an inch.  
  
“Yes, my lord. _If _she were to make an escape, are we to apprehend her? Or…” he trailed off and looked at the floor. “ _If _that were to happen, she is to be brought to the high council's courtroom for trial and execution. Again, in the _unlikely _event of such disappointing circumstances”. We all knew what I meant. No one could outright accuse her of treachery and placing a guard on her would be met with ignominious reproach from the entire kingdom as well as my Lady. Assuming she wasn’t planning an escape after all. “It shall be done, your Majesty. I will discreetly increase the guard around the castle and frame it as a training regime if anyone asks”.  
  
“Very well. See it is done.” I waived a hand and didn’t look either of them in the eye. The lord commander bowed and backed out of the room. My valet looked at the floor waiting for an order. I motioned him to stand in front of me. “Prepare my clothes for tomorrow. And send up a bath in my chambers with a girl to wash my hair”. He bowed and walked out of the sitting room. I walked to my bedroom and started unbuttoning my coat. How did I get myself into this mess? No, I didn’t do it. She had.  
  
She blathered on about her gift as she rode through my forest. It was her fault. She brought me to her door and made me test her skills. Then when I went to drop off the second test, she demanded a gift in return. As if proving her magic wasn’t enough from me already. I pictured her little face looking up at me in determined anger demanding I give something in return. For sixty gold pieces to be made in three days, it was impossible for a mortal. So I had flippantly offered my hand and a crown if she managed to change silver to gold, twice more. I threatened to turn her to ice when she failed but as soon as I walked away I felt the bargains cold chains fasten themselves around my neck like a noose. I loathed her. But I was angrier at myself for having made the bargain in the first place and chaining myself to this moronic girl. __________________________


	2. Malicious Compliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Staryk Lord is having trouble keeping his mind in check.

Malicious Compliance

I let a servant girl wash my hair with scented soap as my mind wandered. I lay in the tub with the water gently lapping against my chest. Another servant girl washed my arms and she began slowly venturing under the water. It wasn’t uncommon for a girl to try her luck at a chance in my bed. Married or not, a dozen ranks above her or not, they always tried to catch my eye. “Enough” I said dismissively as she approached my navel. Her hands quickly moved back to its original task. The other woman rinsed out my hair and began patting it dry with a cotton sheet. I stood up a moment later and the washer woman brought me my robe ogling my naked body. She wasn’t even pretending to be abashed at her boldness. I might have appreciated it more if my gut wasn’t tied up in knots. My head was fuzzy and I sat down at my vanity table and let them comb out my long hair. I rolled a crystal bead on the table with a finger and my mind emptied itself. “Is there anything else we can do for you, your majesty?” they said in unison. My eyes snapped up and I realized that my hair was completely dry. How long had they been brushing my hair? “Leave.” I commanded and they backed out of the room.  
  
What time was it? I walked to the window and saw it was only a few hours until dawn in the sunlit world. Had they really brushed my hair and oiled it for nearly five hours?! Idiots. I went back to the table and saw I had made an elliptical indentation in the table with the bead from repeatedly rolling it over the same area. What is _wrong _with me? My eyes felt gritty and blinking only made it worse. I fell into the bed face-down and let out a growl of frustration into my pillows. I needed this to end as soon as possible. I will not let a frail mortal girl torture me into a dimwitted, feckless twit. Well, she would be dead soon enough. Then all this nonsense would stop once and for all.  
  
**************************  
I woke with a start as I heard the aurora crackling violently overhead. I walked to my balcony and saw a fresh blanket of snow. The wind howling as it whipped the snow into flurries all around the mountain. More snow, she made more snow. I wanted to dismiss her accomplishments but she kept forcing them down my throat. A bitter taste welled under my tongue and I had to look away from yet another painful demonstration of her magic. She was insufferable, our marriage insupportable. I clenched my fists again and sat down on the bed and stared off into the empty air, waiting for understanding to bash my head in. I stood abruptly and forced myself to enter the library. I pulled books off the shelf haphazardly hoping a title would jump out at me and provide me with answers I didn’t even know the questions to.  
  
I walked around and my eyes caught on a bottle of summer wine. I clutched it and tore the loose cork out of the neck. It still had all it’s fragments of leaves and twigs and honey comb. I should have taken one of the previously strained wines in the decanters but I couldn’t focus on anything long enough to make a complete thought. I was no better than a wild animal. My reasoning had become dull, reacting to whatever was in front of me instead of choosing the correct path, or even a sensible one.  
  
A twig shard tried to stab the back of my throat as I drank the dregs of that delicious wine. It would have tasted far better if I had let it breath, and if I had had the patience to filter out all the sediment at the bottom. I was acting like a drunkard. Clutching my bottle of wine and making a mess around the room purposelessly. Wine dribbled out of the corner of my lips as I frowned at my own stupidity. It lightly stained my robe and I cursed my dear dutiful wife before turning my anger back on myself. Where it belonged. All of this was my fault. Why hadn’t I offered her an elixir of health or long life? I could have been done with her already and all her ridiculous questions.  
  
I stumbled back into my room and flopped onto the bed, robe slipping off my shoulders. Was I still naked? How absurd. I never slept without at least trousers. That was why I woke up! I was uncomfortable all night because of the robe. It had nothing to do with that idiot girl! I slid out of bed and pulled on a pair of satin trousers and cinched the cord tight. I went back to bed and just sat there for a minute trying to convince myself it was just the lack of sleepwear that made me an insomniac. I fell back into bed with a thump and tried to rub the image of all that gold and snow out of my eyes. They stung and I had to stop before I started causing damage. A blind king would only rule for so long before someone overthrew him. My wife no doubt. _Wife! _It felt sour on the tongue and I let out a noise of disgust. I closed my eyes and tried to force myself to sleep again. I lay there on the bed for hours trying to find a comfortable spot. Everywhere felt too hard, or two soft, or lumpy, or cramped.  
  
My mind wouldn’t stop shouting ridiculous things to me and I had to degrade myself in a last-ditch effort to fall asleep. I sat on the corner of my bed and masterbated like a perverted ipm. Hunched over, yanking away at flesh that barely responded. It must be the wine. I cleared my mind of everything and tried again with more success. A rotating harem of women danced in my mind and it became easier to relax. But that skinny girl popped in and ruined it a few times. She kept pointing her chin at me angrily and demanded idiotic things from me and criticized my choice of women and technique. I pushed her image away and started again, this time standing up with a hand pressed against the wall for support. I had more success after using oil and I finally felt a release on the horizon. I grabbed a cloth and just as I was about to finish she barged her way back into my head. I came with a shocked gasp of disgust but I finally felt like I could sleep. “DAMN IT!” I threw the handkerchief into the tub of water and dragged myself to bed and collapsed.  
  
********************************  
I heard my library door quietly open and my valet walked into the room and told the maids to clean up the mess I made. The maids whispered in there but I didn’t need to hear the words to know they were judging me. I looked at the skyline and could tell it was almost midday in the sunlit world. I decided to wallow in my bedchamber for a while longer and I picked up a stack of books from my end table: Il Principe,La Divina Commedia, Summa Theologica, Beowulf, Don Quixote, Il Milione:Marco Polo, Sadko, Tristan and Iseult. Not a single readable book in the pile. Why did I have so many half read books in my room?  
  
The Prince? Political theory with a sociopath at the helm. The Divine Comedy? Predictable and just a sad look at what Catholicism has to offer. A complete copy of Summa Theologica, in verse no less. And that is riddled with inconsistencies and illogical arguments in favor of his god. Theology is not science! You cannot prove a belief. Mortals cannot reason out the existence of any god. Thomas Aquinas is a fool! Or was, rather. He and his cyclical reasoning are long dead now.  
  
Beowulf is a sloppy metaphor for the beast within all men. It doesn’t help that oral tradition probably ruined a lot of the nuance in the tale. Don Quixote? A man living inside his own mind, struggling to make sense of a dishonorable world. For that, I can’t blame his mental breakdown, but his delusions were ridiculous. I suppose a madman sees what he sees. Marco Polo? Full of a “million” lies, if not more! Sadko? Ravings of a half drowned musician wanting to return to his warm bed. Tristan and Iseult? There are so many versions to it the only thing they all have in common is adultery, love potions, and death. A possible starting point for the king Arthur story as well. Not a single readable book from these mortals. Their hearts are so changeable, their reasoning so flawed, their bodies so weak.  
  
I tossed all the books against the wall and called for my valet. He came in and brought me my clothes for the day. A tray of food came in not long after and I sat in my antichamber waiting for something to do. I couldn’t see my wife---I let out another groan at the word--- until dusk to give her the time she needed to complete her work. Every second I spent talking to her was another second she couldn’t make me richer. I filled the next three hours of sunlight with as many useful tasks as I could until I could check on my ever growing pile of sunlight. Finally the time came when I was allowed to see the storerooms.  
  
I smoothed my jerkin and marched down to see all those glittering coins reflect all the sun's light inside my mountain. I walked through the doors of the first room and I admired the gold spread out into a lake of coins. I wanted to swim in it. I opened the doors to the second room and it was a sea of gold. The light flickered off the piles and looked like waves. I had to push away the desire to bring a sled in and spend hours sliding down a hill of money. She sat on her heels and wiped away sweat that wasn’t there. I forced my face to be steel as I looked around. There was still a small section of the rack full of silver. What a pity. She was going to be put to death for breaking her word. Well, I will ask the high council to make it quick and painless. Perhaps a poison that would make her sleep and then slip away. She would be taken back to her family in an ornate coffin, of course. And I will leave a small chest of gold in recompense.  
  
“What does it mean among you to give someone a gift?” Her question brought me back from planning her funeral. I frowned at her. “A gift? Something given without return?” How disgusting! Her eyes looked around at the ceiling looking for an answer “Something given in thanks for what might have been demanded instead.” she moved her lips to the side of her face as if she didn’t know if her explanation was accurate or helpful. “Only the worthless would imagine such a thing. A return must be made.”  
  
“You’ve given me things without return,” she said. My eyes widened and tried to pop out of my skull “I have given you that to which you are entitled by right and have demanded of me, nothing more,” I said hastily feeling nauseated at the thought “You are already my wife; you cannot imagine I meant you to become my bondswoman.”  
  
“What is a bondswoman?” She blurted out. She had verbal diarrhea as usual. Always asking her questions as soon as they popped into her head instead of planning them out carefully. I paused, once more overcome by her appalling ignorance of perfectly obvious things. “One whose fate is bound to another,” I said very slowly, as if speaking to a child. This woman didn’t know anything. I should have forced a tutor on her and at least tried to stop her from embarrassing herself every time she spoke.  
  
“That’s not enough to explain it to me,” she said with asperity. I raised his hands in impatience. “One whose fate is bound to another! Where a lord rises, so do his bondsmen; where a lord falls low, so too his bondsmen; when a lord is stained, so are they, and as he, so too must they cleanse their names with their life’s blood.” She stared at me and went pale with sickly green undertones. What had she done _now? _“That sounds like a terrible arrangement,” she said in a strained voice “I can’t imagine why anyone would agree to become one.” I folded my arms and glared at her. “If your imagination fails you, that is no sign I have failed to answer the question.”. She was always trying to steal more information out of me, how vulgar. She pressed her thin lips together in disappointment and said, “All right. Then what are several illuminating reasons why anyone would either accept or refuse such an opportunity?”  
  
“To rise beyond their station, of course,” I said immediately. “A bondsman stands always but one rank removed from their lord. Their children inherit both bond and rank, but their children’s children inherit rank alone, and whatever standing the bondsman holds, at the time of their birth, they have it in their own right. As for who would refuse, those whose rank already stands high, or who suspect the lord who asks their bond is likely to fall: only a fool would bind their fate for little gain.” I explained it well enough that any half witt child would understand. But then a thought flashed across my mind in bright bold letters “What concerns you so of bondsmen?” I demanded. Who was she planning to strap to the pyre with her? “Do I owe you answers?” she said in the most dulcet and maniacal voice I had ever heard. I opened his mouth to answer and then shut it again. I glared in irritation before sweeping out without another word. She was insufferable! As I walked through the smaller store room I ran my hands along the taller piles of gold and let the tinkling of coins soothe me.  
  
I walked out to the garden and I tried to clear my mind. She would be dead within a day and I would be free of her forever. I would have a mountain of gold with which to fight the demon of flame. My kingdom would be safe, and I could be alone and unwed. I gazed at the snow trees and breathed in their perfume. The air was gently caressing my cheek and a small dusting of snow flakes fell around me. I let the mountain comfort me and shield me from the problems of the world. It was my armor, and I was it’s sword.  
  
I heard the soft crunch of snow approaching me from the side and I turned to greet the captain of the guard. “Lord Commander.” I said in acknowledgement. “Your majesty”. He made a quick bow and waited for permission to speak. I nodded slightly and he detailed how the new patrols were going. Other than a few servants finding time to sneak off and share a tryst during work hours there was nothing of note that happened. “As it should be”. I turned towards my rooms and used my private passage ways to get there faster. I didn’t want to cross paths with anyone or get ogled by a serving girl. I wanted to sleep, and wake up tomorrow with a clean slate.  
  
***********************************  
I woke up in the morning with sweat on my brow. I sat up and looked around my room worriedly. The air inside was cool. There was no reason I would be warm. There was another fresh blanket of snow in the garden. There were even icicles tinkling in the branches as the wind caressed the trees. There was a damp spot on my pillow and It quickly frosted over as I touched it. I must be ill. I decided to stay in bed all day instead of making it worse. A sick king was a vulnerable one. And I wouldn’t give anyone the chance to take advantage of the situation. I had my valet bring me small portions of cut fruit and tea throughout the day and I slept on and off while reading through the day's paperwork. We lost another crate of grain somewhere in the mountain. It was troubling to have the mountain shift rooms around at odd times. We always found them, but it was easier to leave it alone and hope it returned sooner rather than later. The odds of it spoiling or getting overrun with pests were infinitesimal, after all.  
  
A few more hours passed and I still felt uneasy about what I might have to do when she wasn’t finished. I found myself hoping she would find a way to double her output. It would be such a waste to kill her and lose her high magic. Maybe I would give her the pleasures of the marriage bed as a parting gift. No one should die a virgin. I had a slight bulge in my trousers and my face flushed a light blue. I decided to exercise and clean my mind of impure thoughts. I did push up on my floor and chin lifts from my canopy bed. I did stretches out on my balcony and lunged across my library and my faint erection went away at last. I should visit the physician. I might have a sickness after all.  
  
I looked out and saw I had less than an hour until I had to check the last store room. I was dreading the thought of locking her up and putting her to trial. Why was she so moronic? She didn’t even ask to see the storerooms before agreeing to the bargain! That naive girl was going to be sent to the gallows or turned into an ice sculpture tomorrow night all because she made too much of herself. She was prideful and ignorant of her own powers. Not even a great witch could manage to turn all that silver to gold in three days. Perhaps not even two working in tandem.  
I splashed my face with water and tried to calm down. I was acting like a fool. More a fool than any court jester. A man not in control of himself was not in control of the situation. If I couldn’t plan and behave properly there was no point in being in charge. A king is only as good as his mind and his support staff. Well trained servants made the little things in life easy so you didn’t have to waste the time or energy getting yourself food, clothes, or baths. You could relinquish control of simple tasks and focus on the entire country without getting caught up in the minutia of day to day life. Having a high council with which to effectively administer your plans makes things run smoother. Needing to be an expert in every field made you a slave to every change and issue that comes up. I _would _regain my composure and I _would _perform my duties to the very best of my ability or else relinquish my duties and give over the throne to one who could do it better.  
  
I looked up at the sky and saw that I had ten minutes before sundown. She must control my perception of time. Whenever I thought of her time stood still and the hours dragged on. But sometimes it would be the complete opposite and the hours would slip through my fingers like trying to cup water in your hands. She was so contradictory. One minute she is capable, the next a fumbling buffoon. One minute she was ugly and the next she was tolerable. She must truly be a witch casting spells on me and confusing my mind. It was all too ridiculous to be real.  
I threw on my coat and made my way into the depths of the mountain. This would all be over soon enough and my mind and my kingdom would return to a state of normalcy. Far away from that twiggy, brown, lump of a girl. The closer I was to the storeroom the angrier I was. Why would she force me to kill her? Such an inconvenience and a waste of talent! I went to the first store room and I saw my lake of gold and I kicked over a pile and slid across it’s shimmering surface. I pushed over the doors to the second store room and saw a sea of golden coins and I suddenly became enraged. She had done it. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. She kept shoving her gift in my face and trying to make me choke on it. That boastful girl kept pushing the bounds of what is possible just to humiliate me!  
  
I flung open the doors to the final storeroom and was prepared to see her crying on the floor. Prostrating herself in supplication. I had a grimace that fell away instantly. I stopped open-mouthed, gazing at my empty storeroom. Did she eat it? Was it all invisible somehow? She was shaking with suppressed laughter and weariness only to say with hoarse defiance, “There. I have changed every coin within your storerooms to gold.” I jerked my head to stare at her. I wanted to be furious but I was bewildered. This situation was beyond all comprehension. I slowly turned to look at the silver piled inside the tunnel, at the driver standing there sagging, holding the heads of the deer on the sledge. And at the two serving girls both wavering like willow saplings in a high wind, and at last to my wife. My wife. I walked slowly across the room and took the final coin out of her hand. I stared at it for what seemed a lifetime and broke it in half.  
  
“It’s gold all the way through!” She snapped at me. “Yes,” I said, blankly. “It is.” That duplicitous vixen! And just like that, I was madly in love with her. I eyed the shimmering pile of silver inside that tunnel and I knew she had irrevocably changed in my mind forever. She did it. She did the impossible. And She did it in the most bewitching way I ever could have dreamed. She followed the rules of the bargain exactly as I had stated it. But she did it by finding a way to bend the rules to her advantage. I felt a jolt go through my body and run from my heart to my loins. I had to have her. I had to make her mine as soon as possible. There was no way I could ever love another. Not if I lived another millennia. No woman could ever compare to her.  
  
I put the two halves of the coin on the ledge and bowed to her as formally as I could. It took so much of my strength not to kiss her and throw her over my shoulder. “The task I set is accomplished. I will take you to the sunlit world, as I have promised, that you shall dance at your cousin’s wedding. Ask your questions now, my lady.” She looked stunned, as if she was waiting for an attack, for me to crush her throat or lock her in the dungeon. She looked down at herself and finally said “Do I have time to bathe?”. I almost lost my composure and started laughing. It was such an innocent question and it only endeared her to me more. “Make ready as you will. You shall have as much time as you require,” I said suppressing a smile I was sure was waiting the break free of the surface “Ask twice more.”  
  
She looked at Flek and Tsop and Shofer and said, “I promised to turn all their own silver to gold for them, in exchange for their help. They accepted, and made return of themselves. Are they my bondsmen now?” So _that _is why she had asked. Not to become my bondswoman, but to make fair return for their assistance in pushing all my silver into a ditch. “Yes.” I looked over at the former servants and bowed my head in recognition of their new status. High lord and Ladies, all three. They began bowing deeply and stopped halfway, realizing that their life of servitude was over. One of them let out a half sob shriek of happiness. “Do I have time to change their silver for them now?” asked My Lady. She still didn’t seem to understand how the questions worked. No matter, soon enough she wouldn’t need to ask them anymore.  
  
“That you have already asked and been answered,” I said placidly. “Ask again.” She looked at me with an odd, flustered expression. “What does that mean?” She demanded. “Why is it the same whether I want to go take a bath or change their silver, too?” I frowned at her. “As you have been true, so will I be, and in no lesser degree,” I said, a bit huffily. “I will lay my hand upon the flow of time, if need be, that you shall have however much of it you seek. Go therefore and make ready however you wish, and when you are ready to depart, we shall go.” So it was possible to still be vexed by her, even when I wanted to pin her against me. How odd. I turned on my heels and began walking away towards my chambers to ready myself for the wedding. “You could have taken me there in time, then, no matter what!” she shouted after me. I let a smile pass the corner of my lips as I walked away. I heard her bondswoman start speaking to her in hushed tones. Any questions my wife asked of me wouldn’t be inane at least. But I didn’t plan on letting her ask questions in exchange for her rights any more. It was cruel to let a man wither away without intimate affection from his wife, after all.____________


	3. Breaking Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The staryk King has to prepare for the wedding in the sunlit world.

I walked to my rooms almost impishly, if it weren’t so far below me to express that in view of others. I was going to have so much fun torturing that girl. She had three bondsmen now so she couldn’t ask ridiculous questions anymore. I lost out on giving her stupid answers in turn, but at least any question she did come up with would go unanswered by me. Oh the fun I would have with her. My presumably prudish mortal wife would blush so brightly it will illuminate her dark bedroom in a gorgeous rosy glow. I wonder how long it will take to get her to beg me for relief? It was so delicious a thought, I could almost taste it. I amused myself the entire ten minute walk to my chambers thinking of ways to tease her. She was too thin for my taste but I would see to it that she fattened up a bit. It was no fun grabbing at boney hips or accidentally bruising a woman because she has no protective layer of meat. You need to be able to toss her around and use her body as leverage to have the most fun. I hated sleeping with a floppy dead fish. I’d train her to at least be an active participant. Pillow princesses are very annoying.

There’s nothing sexier than a woman who can take control of the situation and her own pleasure. I had a feeling that My lady would be willing to learn and have some fun. She was head strong and hard working. I would be very surprised if after she became more comfortable with intimacy she didn’t assert herself. But I would find out soon enough. Tomorrow night I would stake my claim on her and plant my flag. _Wait... _Had she ever been with a man before? Or a woman? Did she have any experience at all? She dressed modestly and most country folk were reserved. Even the mortal women who had children and were older had varying levels of experience… I would just have to take it slow with her. I didn’t want to traumatize her and make things more awkward for her. I will have to put some more thought into it.__

__As I entered my antichamber I saw the Lord commander and my valet patiently waiting for me and standing at attention. In my elation over the positive turn of events, I completely forgot they were preparing for a treason trial we all thought was inevitable. We all stared at each other for a moment before they averted their eyes waiting for the terrible news. “The Queen has successfully completed her task”. My voice echoed briefly, and then as if all the air was sucked out of the room, it was eerily silent. I evened my breath and I waited for someone to say they acknowledged me. I had never felt so awkward announcing good news before._ _

__The Lord Commander looked up with eyes that kept trying to bulge out in shock but were only held in place by sheer force of will and tight eyelids. “Very good your Majesty. There will be no need to inform the high council of a trial.” The valet looked as though he would vomit. I looked at him and I could see him forcing bile back down his throat and I said, “Are all the preparations for my departure ready?”. He finally uttered out “I shall prepare your clothing for the wedding in the sunlit world”. I waved him away. He bowed deeply and breathed out “Excuse me, your Majesty” and then scurried away bowing and walking backwards to my clothes room. I heard a clatter as the door closed and him running away in a panic. I suppose he hadn’t prepared any of my clothes for a festive occasion._ _

__I turned back to the Lord Commander who seemed to have regained control of his eyes and he waited to be dismissed. “Be aware that my wife has three bondsmen now. Her two personal servants and a driver. Have guards go down to meet them and help them move into their new chambers. They are high lords now, so send high ranking officers to show them the respect their new station provides them.” The Lord Commander bobbed a small nod and with a strained voice said “It shall be done, your majesty”. I let him linger there for another moment before dismissing him. I didn’t like the idea of him questioning my wife's bondsmen. True they were servants, _had _been servants. But they were elevated now and their pasts had no bearing on their new station. I bowed my head to them, and I wouldn’t have my subordinates do anything less. “You are dismissed” I said flatly as I pierced his armor with my eyes. I could feel him try to recoil from my gaze and I was satisfied that he had been cowed.___ _

____He walked backwards with a quarter bow and I could feel myself relax as the door closed. I disliked having to crush my subjects, but occasionally it needed to be done to maintain the proper order of things. Grinding out some of the insolence in the higher ranking officials was an unpleasant, albeit necessary task. I entered my bed chamber and sat on the bed before I slumped down with an exhausted breath. I let the past few minutes sink in and with an unceremonious grunt I plopped myself down to lay on the bed. My hair fanned out around me and I had to pull it out from under my shoulders because I kept accidentally hurting myself if I breathed too deeply._ _ _ _

____I pinched the bridge of my nose and went through all of today's events. I woke up this morning in a sweat and I fretted all day waiting to see the final storeroom filled with gold. When I finally did see my vault it was empty except for a few coins scattered on the floor and one in my hand. In an instant I went from hating that young woman to wanting to ravage her. She was mesmerizing and she was dangerous. She was glamorous and plain. There lived a duality in her I couldn’t identify. It taunted me, she taunted me. It was intriguing and infuriating to no end. I wanted to reach out to her, but I knew if I did she would evaporate. She was an intangible idea, almost ethereal. I felt like Tantalus forever reaching towards her and never able to catch her._ _ _ _

____I sat up so abruptly I was lightheaded. _Why did I fall in love with her? _When had I _really _fallen? Why did it suddenly matter if I could touch her? Why did I want to own her? How did she transform herself from a farmer’s daughter with a little bit of luck, to a woman worthy of being a queen? I am an idiot. I should have seen it! She obviously _is _an enchantress!!! I had thought it flippantly before but it _must _be true. She managed to bewitch me and she poisoned my mind. I let out a ragged breath of relief and the world was finally sane again. I would go to the Vedmak and get a cure for whatever charm she used to beguile me. I might visit the chief apothecary too if this was just a minor illness…like the fever I had earlier. We will see._________ _ _ _

____________I jumped to my feet and waltzed to my dressing room. There was a definite spring in my step and I enjoyed this surreal feeling of having found out my wife’s secret. She could try all she wanted but I had the upper hand. She could try to seduce me all she wanted but know that I knew her tricks I wouldn’t fall prey to her magic. It was a small victory but I would enjoy her attempts to make me chase her. I pushed open the door to my clothes room and was greeted with an untidy mess that confirmed my suspicions. Clothes were strewn across the floor and there were garments hung haphazardly along open drawers and armoire doors. There was a lone mannequin at the center of the room bathed in a soft blue light from the lantern overhead._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________It was a crisp white suit that was obviously put out for a somber event. The details were intricate but subdued. They existed only to show the talent of the craftsman but they held no joy. The light blue sapphires along the cuffs looked like drops of frozen Staryk blood against the snow. The delicate embroidery on the coat felt like silver thread. It etched a dramatic scene of a blizzard snuffing out all the light and warmth from a fire. The trousers were lined along the leg with pure white leather that was embossed with thorns.The half crown was menacing. Intricately woven ropes of silver that turned into antlers that grew longer and thicker around the sides. The fur cloak cascading off of one shoulder had the bears paws as the accent on the shoulders. I would have looked like Wintery death in my wife's trial. The grim reaper in white. It thrilled me and it felt electric in my hands. It was almost a pity I didn’t get to use it today. But I’d rather have the rest of the gold changed, than a dead wife._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I heard the valet rummaging around the larger closet attached to this one. He commanded his staff to fetch this and that from the drawers and cabinets. My assumption had been correct. He had never prepared for the wedding. He had put all his effort into my attire for the tribunal. I couldn’t exactly blame him for thinking I would need an outfit to preside over a trial for treason. I could, however, blame him for not preparing for an event I told him to make note of. If I told him to do something he should have anticipated the possibility that I would need something fabulously ornate and befitting a King. He only prepared this austere look that would frighten the life out of any mortal who saw me. I was eager to find a new use for it. I couldn’t take it to the wedding but I might have an opportunity to wear it if I ever decided to lay claim over the sunlit world. I would make an excellent emperor, perhaps my lady might be able to take care of things during the summer… I’d have to give it some more thought. My fingers traced the edge of the collar and noticed more elaborate embroidery. My seal, the glass mountain and a white tree in full bloom._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I snapped back to reality when I heard the door open to my left. The valet had started wheeling in a new mannequin dressing figure with an outfit that screamed opulence. I had never seen most of these items before. Have they been made recently? The valet froze for a split second when he saw me, but he quickly recovered and bowed with a perfunctory “Your majesty”._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You may continue” I breathed out disinterestedly. He moved the new outfit into the spotlight and as the servants funneled in behind him they all bowed at the waist and I waved them off to go about their work. “How long until my clothes are ready?”. The valet shrunk ever so slightly as he said, “Forgive me, your majesty. I will need another half hour to ensure every detail and stitch are up to your standards. I am mortified that this was not finished before you came to dress. I will make amends as soon as I am able. Please do not fault the staff for my carelessness”. He bowed so deeply his head was almost touching the floor. The rest of the staff assumed the slaves bow and kneeled on the floor obsequiously._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I took my time and let him quiver for another moment before I slapped him on the back genially and said, “Had the first outfit you chose not been so eye catching, we might have had a problem. Get up, everyone. I’ll not make My Lady wait forever”. I motioned my head to the valet and walked to the exit. “I will return in half an hour or more. Don’t disappoint me again”. I swung open the doors and I walked away before he had the chance to thank me for my leniency._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I decided to visit the Vedmak first and see about purifying the love potion my wife dosed me with. It was a short walk, only about five minutes using my special passageways. My footsteps echoed behind me and my mind wandered. I could keep walking without even looking until I came upon the doorway out. The mountain knew what to do, I could be sleepwalking with just the thought of where I wanted to be and I would still arrive where I was meant to be with no effort on my part. I thought of my wife, the title no longer stabbing me through the chest. And I thought of how long it would take to bring all the gold back into the store room. She was a clever one. It’d need to pick her brain later on and see how I could make my next bargain without any loopholes from which someone could escape. Specifically, her. I bite the side of my cheek thinking about her again. How exasperating. Well, I would have the remedy soon enough. I walked out into a new hallway and realized I was already at my destination._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I clapped my hands twice and the door to the Vedmak opened up slowly. The doors yawned open with a soft scraping of ice against ice. My claps echoed throughout the hallway, a soft blue and yellow light intermingled on the floor through the steadily growing crack in the doorway. I made an effort to enter high ranking servants workspaces with as much warning as possible. I only decided to visit the Vedmak a few minutes ago so I decided to let the double doors open slowly and creakily so that he knew I was coming, and have time to prepare himself. I would prefer not to see him in a state of undress or with someone in an uncompromising position. There was also a chance that he would be in the middle of an incantation. He would need the time to release his magic in a controlled pattern lest it explode in his hands or transmute something at random._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I heard the clinking of vials and a throat cleared as the door finally opened. A small cloud of fog rolled off the table and the Vedmak looked up with disheveled hair and squinted eyes. He straightened and with a small bow said “Your Majesty! I had no idea I would be graced with your presence”. He looked at me again and set everything down on the table. With another small bow he blurted out “How may I be of service to my King?” He was frazzled and I noticed the puffiness under his eyes reflected under the spectacles. He removed them and I said “Normally I would not intrude without giving proper notice. I have a task for you. I have reason to believe my wife has used magic on me to alter my mind.” The words hung in the air and the Vedmak’s fingers twitched slightly before he nodded. “How long have you felt her influence?”. He stepped forward and began his preliminary assessments._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I cannot be sure when she would have given me her love potion, but I have noticed a slow shift in my opinion of her over the last three days. I no longer loathe her, my respect for her talent and her unyielding drive have grown as well---” The Vedmak tilted my head up and prodded my neck making small noises of acknowledgement. “She has felt more regal than when I first met her” My words felt hard on the tongue and my mouth watered slightly as he pushed on my jaw by the ears. He looked at me “I will need to prick your finger and draw a small amount of blood for some tests. I nodded and he led me over to the table. He took out a few pouches of herbs or powders and some vials with many different liquids with smells ranging from mint and flowers to Hákarl. It was nauseating to say the least. My head spun and I gripped the table to keep myself upright. I stabilized myself for a moment before the Vedmak pulled at my hand and jabbed a needle into my finger and squeezed out several drops of blood. The noxious fumes grew stronger and the concoction briefly burst into flame. It sizzled and a plume of white smoke that slowly turned yellow before dissipating._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The Vedmak stared at the scorched bowl with a puzzled and somewhat disappointed look. “May I ask why you are so certain she used magic on you?” he lightly shook his head and added “your majesty” a moment later than was appropriate. I looked at him but his eyes were still on the shallow bowl. “As I said, my opinion of her has improved greatly in just a few days. I’ve had trouble sleeping and my appetite has waned”. My voice began to trail off as his look turned serious. “Surely those are the classic signs of a love potion or enchantment”. I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else, I realized. He thumbed through a grimoire or possibly a notebook, and he made almost imperceptible grunts of disapproval. He looked at the bowl again and his lip curled on one side before he quickly smoothed his expression. He closed the book and quietly laid it on the table before turning to me._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Your Majesty---” he broke off and his eyes kept trying to widen and bulge out. Normally a high ranking magician would be able to look at my face but he seemed too ashamed to meet my eyes. “Your Majesty---” He paused again this time forcing his eyes to my chest “I have found no indication that magic has been used to alter your mind… Or your heart. I could be mistaken, but the test is a very specific one. It is unlikely to fail. The smoke pattern and the charred remains of the spell are very clear. There is no sign of witchcraft or enchantments placed on you to change your state of mind or feelings for someone.” His eyes dropped to my boots and I thought he would start sweating profusely if it wasn’t so frigid in this room there were icicles forming in the top edge of the windowsill._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I felt my chest tighten and my mouth watered like I was going to vomit. “Impossible! There is no other explanation. Anything other than a potion or spell is preposterous!” I wanted to set him on fire or have him drawn and quartered. The ridiculous implication that there was no magic! I felt a tingle down my spine and a wave of cold ran through my veins. Something inside me shattered. The Vedmak was stiff and I could feel the urge in him to run away or become invisible. I straightened myself and smoothed out the fabric of my jerkin that only I could see was amiss. “I appreciate your hard work. I would not try to question your expertise. If it is as you say, then it is true. I will leave you to the work I interrupted.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I wanted to run out of the room and lock myself up in my chambers but I couldn’t lose control over myself again in front of the Vedmak. I turned on my heels as soon as he bowed. I didn’t wait for him to utter out more pleasantries. I calmly walked into my private passageway and as soon as I felt it close behind me I let out a groan and stood there in the soft green light of crystals. I leaned my head against the wall and I breathed out furiously, creating a rolling cloud of fog around my feet. Minutes seemed to pass before I was able to unclench my fists. I began my descent back to the Valet and my presumably finished garments. As I reached the halfway mark I stopped and let out the loudest yell of my life._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________I punched a wall and slivers of ice slid off and some shards embedded themselves into my knuckles. I dropped down and sat on my heels without letting my knees touch the floor, Worrying about the stains that might appear. I brushed out the ice from my hands and the small wounds smoothed over without a trace. I held my hand and I tensed my fingers open and closed to make sure there was no damage. My throat hurt from the force of my screams. I hated myself. I was behaving like an impetuous child all over a mortal woman. I was furious because I was in love. What a ridiculous man I was. _Truly _worthy of ridicule. I would find any means necessary to conquer this idiotic behavior. I had chastised the Lord Commander for not wanting to yield before my Lady’s bondsmen a moment after they were elevated. But I still couldn’t reconcile the fact that my wife was now a true Staryk Queen. It was shameful to know how reluctant I was to give her the praise and respect she deserved as soon as I developed feelings for her. Before I realized I had actual affection for her, I could see her value and gifts. Now that I wanted her, every fiber of my being was in a war against itself. My head was a cacophony of conflicting emotions. My own voice shouting against itself, pounding away in my ears. I felt my blood rage inside my veins and my ears began to ring.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________I tried to compose myself as I sat there in the near dark of the tunnel. I changed course and went back to my bedchamber. I was in a stupor as I finally shuffled out of the tunnel and onto my bed. I buried my face in a pillow and tried to organize my thoughts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________So I was in love, truly and madly, in love with a human girl. There were worse things in life. It was actually a positive when I thought about it for long enough. I was in love with my wife… I should be jumping for _joy _. How many rulers actually desired their spouse and wanted to play kissing games in dark corners? Not many in the mundane world or the magical ones. It was all too much. I had emotional whiplash from all this back and forth. I was trying so hard not to love her that I would convince myself of almost anything to discredit my feelings. I wanted to be the cold harsh man she believed me to be. It would all be so much simpler if I could close off my heart to such a vexatious woman.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________I lay in bed and flopped around for a few more minutes before deciding to visit my wife. She might be ready by now, a bath didn’t take _that _long. She might be sleeping though. I would use my special passageways and take a peek to see if she was ready. Then I would go and get dressed myself. The valet needed as much time as I could give him. He had almost an hour so far, but knowing him, he’d keep adding to it and perfecting every thread as long as he had an extra second to accomplish his goal.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________I pushed off the bed and I quickly moved through the tunnel. Her room was relatively close to mine though in a different wing of the palace. It took all of two minutes using the passageway and I had a devilish thought flicker across my mind right before I opened her door. I used a side entrance only I could access and I snuck in from the back of the room. It was eerily quiet in there and I approached cautiously. It would be rude of me to wake her if she needed the rest. She had been awake for nearly two days, after all._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________I glided across the room swiftly and soundlessly. As I rounded her bed, I saw her laying in the tub. My heart nearly stopped and I let out all my air. She was fast asleep and looked like a painting. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair spilled over the side of the tub in the most gorgeous cascade of brown waves. Her elbows lay on the edge of the tub and her fingers lightly touched the surface of the water. One knee broke the surface of the water ever so slightly while the other was tucked under the right leg. She was partially curled in on herself, almost as if she was growing cold in the water without realizing it. Her face lay propped on the right shoulder and her breath made a soft mist. As she breathed the water lightly lapped at her chest and made tiny ripples in the water._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________I breathed raggedly and I realized it had been too long since I had taken in any air. Not more than a few seconds, but the way my heart was pounding made it much more noticeable. My mouth watered and I could feel my cock pulse against my trousers. My face flushed blue and I tried to steady myself. I could feel my heart start to pound in my ears. I wanted to pull her out of the tub and drown her in kisses. I could almost feel her soft skin underneath my lips. I wanted to give her a tongue bath and learn her topography. I had riled myself up again and was ready to burst with lust and passion for this woman. I reached out a hand and I took a step forward before stopping myself. I forced my hand back to my side and I tried to even out my breathing. I was going to hyperventilate if I was too excited. I couldn’t just attack her like a wild animal even if I wanted to. She needed to be properly wooed or I would feel like a villain._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________I bit my knuckle and breathed in slowly and composed myself. I had to fulfill the bargain before making a new one. I had already answered her questions tonight so it was forbidden to take her to my bed before tomorrow night. I hated this bargain. I hated how hastily we had made it. I should have found another loophole. But I never thought I would _want _to bed her and explore her body. I had only ever expected to reluctantly lay with her when the time for an heir made it a requirement. I sighed dejectedly and took in her lovely image again, studying every detail from afar. I pulled my eyes away from her and forced my feet to move back into the tunnel. I made a whining noise in my throat as the tunnel closed behind me. The tightness in my trousers was starting to bother me and I had to tense my thighs to relieve the pressure.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________I begrudgingly walked back to the clothes room and refocused my mind to the first hurdle to bedding my wife. I would find ways to subtly seduce her all night long and make her weak in the knees by the time we returned. The first step in that process was getting dressed in such a splendiferous outfit that she would see how much I respected her and the effort I was making for this mortal girls wedding. I knew we would be the best dressed at the wedding by far. These peasants might have a bit of wealth but they dressed so modestly and in such dull colors whenever I saw them. Though it was possible they would dress in fine silks or brocaded fabrics for the occasion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Before I knew it I was at the entrance to the Closet. I still heard frantic footsteps from inside and I heard the Valet yell for a pocket square. “His Majesty needs to have a subtle focal point where the mortals can look without disrespecting him! They can’t be stupid enough to look at his face and especially not his eyes. They need a safe place to settle their eyes that is better than his boots or his belly button---”. I let the tunnel close behind me loudly so he could be prepared and his voice cut off before he started another tirade._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________I pushed on the doors and two servants pulled them evenly and in unison. A new spotlight had been placed on the mannequin and I saw an outfit more glamorous and captivating than before. The crisp clean lines accentuated the broadness of the shoulders. The silver buttons ran down the coat and pulled in the waist to make me look slim and muscular. The trousers had a refreshing silver and white line down the sides that elongated me. I walked closer and I heard the shuffles of people bowing and curtseying as I passed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________I looked at every detail in the clothing. The coat cuffs had silver threads that formed intricate snowflakes falling around the glass mountain. The line along the trouser had vines creeping along the edge. The silver buttons had tiny white trees in bloom. The coat collar had stags all along it in a fighting stance, ready to charge. There wasn’t a thread out of place or a wrinkle in sight. The entire outfit was pristine! “This is absolutely divine” I said aloud without meaning too. I heard everyone let out a tiny collective breath and the tense air grew more relaxed. The valet clapped his hands and the servants went back to their task of cleaning the other rooms. it was most assuredly a disaster zone beyond my line of sight. They had cleaned up most of the chaos in this room and the other outfit was gone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Excellent work Valet. You have proven your worth and talent. You and your staff have earned a reward. Tonight, you will have a lavish meal prepared by my personal chef”. A look of relief and excitement flashed across his face and I almost didn’t add the last bit “I hope my wife’s attire is as luxurious as this. I wouldn’t want to embarrass her”. His face hardened slightly and he coolly responded, “I have coordinated with her Majesty’s lady’s maid and we have complimentary outfits for the occasion. It is similar to what we would have had for your wedding to the Queen, if you had a ceremony”. His eyes widened as he realized his mistake. He had brought up my wedding and he had used accusatory language in haughty defense of his skill. He made a dig at me and my bride in such an offhand manner that I knew he and all the other servants had discussed it thoroughly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________My nostrils flared but I decided I wouldn’t throw him out of the window or flay him even though I wanted to. I had been on edge all day and the release I would get from punishing him would have felt phenomenal. But I still had to get ready. “Good thing you are so good at planning. I would hate to see you unprepared for such an important event” I said it through clenched teeth “ Make sure you clean this all up by tomorrow. I hate seeing such a mess”. I started walking back to my rooms with stiff shoulders and ice formed under my feet. “Bring my clothes and the stylists to my room in ten minutes. I want to look my best tonight”. I walked away and I thought I heard the Valet breath in sharply and fold over in a crumpled bow. I would not bloody my hands tonight over something so stupid. I repeated my new mantra and walked away before I could change my mind and toss him in a cell for insolence._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been watching a lot of Project Runway recently and it definitely came through when I was describing all the clothing. Please forgive me for spending so much time focusing on the giant closet and garments. I just loved the idea of fussing over clothes to impress Myriem.

**Author's Note:**

> I have several chapters I have written from his Point of view ready to go after some edits for spelling and grammar. Please comment and let me know what you think. This is my first time writing fan fiction so please be constructive with your comments


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